Latest news with #Studiocanal
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Netflix Takes Thomas Vinterberg's Debut Series ‘Families Like Ours' For The U.S.
EXCLUSIVE: Having premiered at Venice in 2024, Thomas Vinterberg's drama Families Like Ours has been picked up by Netflix for the U.S. and will launch on the streamer on June 10. Families Like Ours is the first series from Vinterberg, the Oscar-winning Another Round filmmaker and co-founder of the Dogma 95 movement. The drama has already sold to the BBC in the UK and a raft of international buyers. Studiocanal is handling distribution and sealed the Netflix sale. More from Deadline Lady Gaga Closes Out Netflix's Tudum With Mesmerizing On-Theme 'Wednesday' Performance Featuring Viral Dance Lady Gaga's Cameo In 'Wednesday' Confirmed As Netflix Premieres Season 2 Footage 'Stranger Things': Netflix Reveals Premiere Date For Season 5, Split Into Three Volumes Zentropa developed Families Like Ours with Studiocanal and it is an original series for TV2 Denmark and Canal+ in France. Set in a not-too-distant future, it follows events after rising water levels force Denmark to be evacuated. Those who can afford it travel to affluent countries. The less well-off, meanwhile, depend on government-funded relocation to more challenging destinations, casting a new spin on a refugee story. Against this backdrop we meet Laura (Amaryllis August), a student on the cusp of graduation. When news of the evacuation breaks, she faces the impossible dilemma of choosing between the people she loves the most. 'Countries disappear, love remains,' reads a description of the series. 'It's wonderful how an inherently Danish series like Families Like Ours, through a platform like Netflix, can travel far and wide and strike a chord with audiences around the world,' Vinterberg said. He added: 'In this increasingly divided world, it gives me both joy and hope to see that there's a universal language — a common ground rooted in shared human experiences. Hopefully, that sense of connection continues across the Atlantic.' The show was produced by Zentropa for TV2 in Denmark. The series had a solid festival run; after debuting at Venice in 2024, it played at Toronto and the London Film Festival. The show has already bowed on TV2 in Denmark. Vinterberg and wrote the seven-part series with Bo Hr. Hansen. It was shot in Denmark, Sweden, France, Romania, and the Czech Republic. There are a raft of co-production partners including NRK, TV4, ARD Degeto, Film i Väst, Sirena Film, Zentropa Sweden, Saga Film and Ginger Pictures. Another Round producers Sisse Graum Jørgensen and Kasper Dissing produced. Families Like Ours also reunites Vinterberg and Zentropa with Studiocanal, which distributed Another Round in the UK. The Netflix deal follows sales to numerous broadcasters and platforms including Movistar Plus+ (Spain), CBC Gem (Canada) and SBS (Australia). 'With the support of CANAL+ and all of our partners we have taken great pride in bringing Vinterberg's deeply human and universal story of love and hope to such a wide audience,' said Chloé Marquet, Studiocanal's Head Of International Sales for Films & TV Series. 'Netflix is now the perfect place for the series to thrive and resonate far beyond borders.' Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds 'Poker Face' Season 2 Guest Stars: From Katie Holmes To Simon Hellberg 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mubi Deep Dive: Founder Efe Cakarel & Content Boss Jason Ropell Lift The Lid On Rapid Growth & Next Steps…But What Does The Industry Think?
This is Mubi's time. With studio specialty divisions almost a relic of the past and international and independent cinema soaring on the awards stage, the arthouse mini-studio founded by Efe Cakarel is cutting a growing swathe across the film landscape. Mubi is back on the Cannes Croisette with three films in Competition and another in Un Certain Regard. Director Luca Guadagnino, a previous collaborator, is one of the company's many fans in high places: 'Mubi is a great and passionate company,' he says. 'They will grow a lot as a business.' More from Deadline Maya Hawke & Rhys Ifans Set For Aisling Walsh's Lucia Joyce Biopic As The Veterans Boards Sales - Cannes Fred Cavayé Talks 'The Fugitive'-Style 'Les Misérables' Adaptation As Studiocanal Launches Sales - Cannes Market AfroCannes 2025 To Explore Afro-Futurism & African Innovation In Film Eye-catching growth has certainly been a hallmark of the company's last few years. Former investment banker and MIT graduate Cakarel founded the London-based company — then known as The Auteurs — back in 2007. These days, the headcount stands at more than 400 globally across 14 offices. And Cakarel believes that Mubi can become 'many times its current size' in coming years. 'We're confident that our growth potential remains vast because the global audience for specialty films is both substantial and underserved,' he says. 'Unlike mass-market platforms, we don't need to spend billions annually on mainstream content.' The theatrical and SVOD company, which now has direct distribution operations in North America, the U.K., Latin America, Germany and Benelux, scored its first Oscar nominations this year with breakout hit The Substance and Danish drama The Girl with the Needle. The former garnered the company's first Academy win. After making a splashy eight-figure acquisition of Coralie Fargeat's body horror, acquiring it from Universal ahead of last year's Cannes Film Festival, the movie has gone on to rake in a company record $84 million at the global box office. 'The unique element of our model is the global scale and capabilities that we've built in a market that has traditionally been serviced by boutique components of major studios or regional players,' explains Jason Ropell, the former Amazon film chief who has been Mubi's chief content officer since 2020. Mubi's mission has remained unabashedly arthouse and some have doubted the company's long-term commercial viability given that core value. But investment keeps rolling in — we understand that between 2021-2024, private equity backing comfortably exceeded $100 million. There have been reports in recent days of further big investment to come. Ambitions are sky-high at the company, which aims to be a regular in the Best Picture conversation. The audacious play for The Substance wasn't the first time the voracious festival buyer had bid eight-figures for a movie, and it likely won't be the last. 'There will be some big swings coming up,' confirms Ropell. Significant recent deals include North American rights for Paul Mescal Cannes Competition pic The History of Sound, multiple markets on Cannes movies Sentimental Value and My Father's Shadow, worldwide rights to Paolo Sorrentino's next film La Grazia, about the final days of a fictional Italian Presidency, and multiple markets on Joe Wright's Mussolini: Son of the Century. It also has inked a three-year co-production, financing and distribution pact with Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Mieli's Our Films. Previous high-profile multi-territory buys include Queer, Perfect Days, Fallen Leaves, Decision to Leave, Aftersun, The Worst Person in the World and Priscilla. After acquiring German blue-chip sales firm The Match Factory in 2022 and Benelux distributor Cineart in 2024, Mubi has also begun producing its own movies. Michael Weber's connections as longtime boss at The Match Factory have helped paved the way. Among these, are Kelly Reichardt's Cannes entry The Mastermind, its first full-finance picture, and co-pros including Jim Jarmusch's Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, starring Adam Driver and Cate Blanchett, and Karim Aïnouz's Rosebush Pruning. The company is also investing in bricks and mortar. Mubi's first cinema is being built in Mexico, and there are rumors of a planned cinema in LA. There is also a publishing arm, cinema-going app and three podcasts. Mubi is fiercely guarded about its subscriber numbers, but internal sources say that gross margins are 'a lot higher' than those of bigger streamers. The company reportedly has 16 million registered users. Cakarel says data dumps aren't on the horizon, however. Chinese billionaire Zhang Xin recently joined the board of directors after her outfit Closer Media made a 'significant' investment in the company. Previous investors have included Silver Lake Management executives, Working Title co-chief Eric Fellner and a host of city and venture capital firms. Italy, France and Brazil are among the countries being eyed for the next wave of growth for theatrical distribution, organically or through corporate acquisition. The company has also explored, and continues to explore, large corporate acquisitions in U.S. (deals we hear that would dwarf the Match Factory acquisition). So, what does the industry make of Mubi? One French sales executive said: 'Mubi provides much-needed oxygen in the theatrical arthouse space, especially in the Anglo-Saxon territories.' Another European seller told us: 'They are a serious option for international arthouse today and Arianna's arrival [longtime IFC exec Arianna Bocco has joined as SVP of Global Distribution] seems to indicate that they have a clear ambition to be a global leader in the space.' One German vet commented: 'I'm mixed on Mubi. It's important that a platform like them exists even if most people in the street still wouldn't know them. I can't figure out how they make money because the movies don't often make a lot at the box office. But it's great that they invest in arthouse, which is crying out for support.' A packaging agent added: 'The industry needs this company. They're good people. They aren't overspending, but they are shrewd and taking advantage of the moment.' Their ambition and speed of growth remains a source of speculation, with one industry vet noting, 'The only danger is how much they've accelerated. Is there too much on their plate? Can it be sustained?' But Cakarel counters with this: 'We understand the economics of specialty film intimately and have built our business model to sustainably support ambitious projects. Our biggest challenge, and simultaneously our greatest opportunity, is scaling sustainably without compromising our distinct identity.' Part of that identity has been backing first and second-time filmmakers. Will that sustain as the company's ambitions grow? 'We want to continue to invest in that sector, but at rational and sustainable amounts,' says Ropell. 'There's a fear from our early partners that they that they'll be abandoned at some point. But that's not happening. There's no evidence to suggest that we're going to abandon the space that helped us build this company. The DNA remains the same. It's more that we're adding things. The addition of The Substance and other films of that size does not diminish commitment to the films that are not of that size.' Will they be able to provide the marketing support each film needs given the burgeoning size of the slate? 'It's a promise we want to fulfil,' says Ropell. 'We're scaling our workforce, and scaling the level of capital which we have access to, to ensure that we do that. But despite best efforts, it's not entirely up to us. Our goal is to try to give every film the best possible opportunity to find an audience, but the marketplace is changing, particularly the theatrical marketplace, and sometimes the reception that a film gets is not directly related to the amount of effort that goes into finding an audience.' Another frequent question from the industry is whether Mubi itself could be sold after so much fattening. Ropell dismisses the notion of a sale on the horizon. 'Efe and myself have a desire to continue to run this company for a good amount of time. Investors look for return on their investment, and that may entail a liquidity event at some point in the future, but it's certainly not part of our short to medium term thinking. This is a passion project that we intend to continue. It's not a cynical commercial enterprise. We couldn't garner the type of investment we've had thus far if it were only from vanity or philanthropic investors.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Shaun the Sheep' Lands Third Film from Aardman and Studiocanal
'Shaun the Sheep' is becoming a trilogy. The beloved franchise is getting a third installment from Aardman and Studiocanal, titled 'Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom.' The film will be released in 2026, IndieWire confirms. Studiocanal is launching worldwide sales at Cannes 2025, with SKY as the U.K. distributor releasing in cinemas and on SKY cinema. More from IndieWire 'Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom' will show the residents of Mossy Bottom Farm as they look forward to Halloween. That is, until the clumsy Farmer trashes the Flock's beloved pumpkin patch, as the synopsis states. 'When Shaun turns Mad Scientist to fix the problem, things rapidly spiral out of control,' the logline reads. 'With The Farmer missing and a wild beast roaming the woods of Mossingham, all the ingredients are in place for a monstrously fun family adventure.' The 'Shaun the Sheep' movie franchise began in 2015 with the wordless 'Shaun the Sheep Movie' from co-directors Mark Burton and Richard Starzak — the character had first been introduced in 1995's 'A Close Shave.' The 2015 film was nominated for several awards, including a BAFTA and an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Its sequel, 'A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon,' was similarly Academy Award-nominated. Aardman released a half-hour special with the character in 2021, 'Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas.' Burton cowrote 'Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom' with Giles Pilbrow, the 'Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas' scribe. Steve Cox, also of 'Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas' fame, will co-direct with Matthew Walker. 'Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom' is produced by Richard Beek, with Nick Park, Peter Lord, Carla Shelley, and Sarah Cox as executive producers. 'Shaun the Sheep is an iconic character, beloved by viewers of all ages around the world. In our new animated movie, we bring family-friendly thrills to this light-hearted, spooky Halloween adventure,' Sarah Cox, Chief Creative Director at Aardman said. 'Expect smashed pumpkins, wayward science, and a wild hairy beast on the loose in Mossy Bottom – all delivered with the Flock's trademark joyous comedy.' Anna Marsh, the CEO of Studiocanal, and Ron Halpern, the EVP Global Production at Studiocanal, added, 'We are so delighted to be in development and pre-production on 'Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom' launching worldwide sales at Cannes. We have taken such pride in establishing Shaun the Sheep and the flock as a cinematic must for audiences across the globe and in this – our third feature film in the franchise – we have a tantalizing seasonal hook in Halloween with thrills, spills, surprises, a touch of science and characters old and new. We cannot wait to reveal more of this highly anticipated family treat in the coming months. It's a genuine pleasure to be back in partnership with Aardman for Shaun's very welcome return to the big screen.' Best of IndieWire Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tahar Rahim, Camille Cottin, Benjamin Lavernhe & Noémie Merlant Join Fred Cavayé's ‘Les Misérables'; Studiocanal Launching Sales In Cannes
EXCLUSIVE: Tahar Rahim, Camille Cottin, Benjamin Lavernhe and Noémie Merlant have been confirmed for the cast of Fred Cavayé's action-skewed adaptation of Les Misérables as Studiocanal gears up to launch sales in Cannes. They join Vincent Lindon who was previously announced for the role of Jean Valjean, the hero of Victor Hugo's 1862 classic novel who transforms from hardened ex-convict and parole breaker to benevolent industrialist. More from Deadline Studiocanal Hires Hooman Afshari & Lutz Rippe As Co-CEOs In Germany 'Geek Girl' Renewed For Season 2 By Netflix After Delay Netflix Adding Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds', 'Rear Window', 'Vertigo' & More, Sets Screening Series In NYC Les Misérables marks a departure for Cavayé whose credits include World War Two drama Farewell, Mr. Haffman, comedy drama Nothing to Hide (the French version of Italian hit Perfect Strangers) and thrillers such as Anything for Her, which was remade in English with Russell Crowe as The Next Three Days. Rahim (Madame Web, Monsieur Aznavour) will play Valjean's nemesis Inspector Javert, who becomes obsessed with tracking him down. Benjamin Lavernhe, seen recently in the French hit The Marching Band, and Call My Agent! star Camille Cottin, will appear as evil innkeepers Thénardier and Madame Thénardier. Noémie Merlant (Tàr) has signed for the role of the tragic figure of Fantine, whose daughter, Cosette, Valjean takes in as his own. Cosette will be played by Megan Northam (Rabia), opposite Vassili Schneider (The Count of Monte-Cristo) as her young admirer Marius. Further cast members include Marie Colomb and Sayyid El Alami. Key crew include cinematographer Denis Rouden (Farewell, Mr. Haffman), costume designer Pierre-Jean Larroque (Lost Illusions, No Chains, No Masters) and production designer Pierre Quéfféléan (See You Up There, Marie Antoinette). The feature is produced by Richard Grandpierre at Eskwad Productions (The Tuche Family franchise, Big Bug, Brotherhood of the Wolf) and Olivier Delbosc at Curiosa Films (The Quiet Son, Of Blood and Money), in co-production with Studiocanal, TF1 Films Production, Canal+ and Netflix. Studiocanal will handle distribution in France as well as international sales. Cavayé, who has co-written the screenplay adaptation with Clémence Madeleine Perdrillat and Benjamin Dupas, is promising to remain faithful to the original novel at the same time as putting the accent on Valjean's flight from Javert, the story's social injustice elements and strong female characters to give the film contemporary mainstream appeal. 'It offers the perfect mix of a great literary story and spectacular adventure tale,' he says. Hugo's Les Misérables has inspired adaptations across multiple popular culture formats from comic books to mangas to films and TV shows. There have been more than 45 feature film adaptations to date. The official synopsis for Cavayé's adaptation reads: 'After enduring 16 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread, Jean Valjean emerges a hardened man. He seeks redemption by reinventing himself as a respected dignitary under a new identity. He promises Fantine, a dying factory worker, to rescue and protect her daughter Cosette, who is being exploited and mistreated by the deceitful Thénardier family. As Valjean raises Cosette as his own, he is relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert. Amidst the social unrest shaking France, the fates of Valjean, Cosette, her lover Marius, and Javert become intertwined in a turbulent, revolutionary Paris. Through struggles, sacrifices, and a deep yearning for justice, Valjean strives to complete his journey of redemption and offer Cosette a future of love and freedom.' The production will begin a 17-week shoot between Paris and Bordeaux on July 21. Best of Deadline 'Ginny & Georgia' Season 3: Everything We Know So Far Everything We Know About The 'Reminders of Him' Movie So Far 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Comedy Romance ‘Tokyo Crush' Wins Series Mania Best Project Award
'Tokyo Crush,' a pioneering France-Japan comedy romance, won the Series Mania Forum Best Project Award, awarded for best title at the French TV festival's hugely popular Co-Pro Pitching Sessions. One of Series Mania's industry centerpieces, the Pitching Sessions saw 15 projects presented to an industry audience on Tuesday at Series Mania in Lille, northern France. More from Variety James Norton to Lead and Produce Miniseries Based on 'Wavewalker' Memoir, Being Adapted by 'Adolescence' Writer Jack Thorne 'Riot Women': Sally Wainwright Discusses the 'Extraordinary Energy' in Her New Drama About a Menopausal Punk Band at Series Mania Federation Studios, TAICCA Ink Strategic Partnership at Series Mania to Bridge European and Asian Content Markets Carrying a €50,000 ($54,000) cash prize, the award was announced by Laurence Herszberg, Series Mania founder and general director, and the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions jury president, M.K. Kennedy, Studiocanal executive managing director of TV Series. Written by Clémence Dargent and produced by Jonas Ben Haiem and Jean-Félix Dealberto for France's Salle Commune and Japan's Hiroko Oda for Flag Inc., 'Tokyo Crush' turns on Mona, a wildly creative Parisian sous-chef, who thinks she's hit the jackpot when she's hired to turn a struggling Tokyo izakaya into the city's next hot spot. But upon landing in Japan, she realizes there's a catch: she has to team up with the existing staff — including Toshiro, the fiercely talented (and annoyingly handsome) grandson of the founder. 'This series is a rich blend of food, self-discovery, and romance, centered around a dysfunctional yet endearing work family,' Dealberto told Variety. 'At its core are French and Japanese cuisines: instantly recognizable, beloved worldwide, and visually stunning. 'Tokyo Crush' marks the first solo creation of Clémence Dargent, one of France's top film and TV writers,' he added. 'After a good amount of debate, we chose 'Tokyo Crush' because we loved the potential we saw for the story in and out of the kitchen,' said Kennedy. 'It felt fresh like a series with multiple points of entry for audiences. Featuring an ensemble of characters and conflicts that are ripe for great comedy: clash of cultures, tradition versus modernity, competition and will-they/won't-they romance. All of which made it singular,' she added. Salle Commune is a Paris-based independent production company launched in 2022 by Jonas Ben Haiem et Jean-Felix Dealberto with the financial backing of Charades. Along with Kennedy, the jury included André Béraud, head of scripted, programs and feature films, ICI Radio-Canada Télé (Canada); Henriette Marienlund, head of drama, DR Drama (Denmark); José Pastor, head of drama and fiction, RTVE (Spain) and Frank Seyberth, head of co-production, international fiction, ZDF (Germany). 'The Co-Pro Pitching Sessions are one of the most anticipated parts of the Series Mania Forum and we are delighted to be giving the €50,000 prize to Tokyo Crush. In the difficulties of today's world, I'm delighted to see that a romance comedy took the top prize. This is just what the audience needs during this time,' added Herszberg. Best of Variety The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Oscars 2026: First Blind Predictions Including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, 'Wicked: For Good' and More
